Florida
FHSAA to vote on new policy letting Florida school athletes be paid for likeness
For months, the Florida High School Athletic Association has been discussing a policy that would allow high school athletes to be paid for their name, image and likeness (NIL).
Now, the time has come for the board of directors to put it to a vote. That vote is set to happen in a meeting Tuesday morning.
Dan LaForest, a wealth advisor, is privy to the ins and outs of NIL.
“Everybody that I talked to believes that they’re going to pass this,” LaForest said.
He said this would be a good opportunity for students.
“I look at it as a great business lesson for a lot of these young people,” LaForest said.
He does have concerns, though.
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“I think the biggest concerns they need to be aware of are understanding what the rules are with the FHSAA because they don’t want to get caught up in a situation where it could cost their child the ability to participate.
LaForest said the board’s bylaws list penalties. One of them would make players ineligible for NIL deals for the duration of their time in high school.
He suggested interested players and parents create a plan for how they’ll take advantage of brand deals and ensure any legal document is reviewed by an attorney.
You may remember Dakara Merthie beating News 6 reporter Treasure Roberts in basketball.
Roberts reconnected with the star high school basketball player and her mom, Tamicka Shelton Merthie, who said they are hoping for a “yes” vote on Tuesday.
“The NIL deal — if God blessed her with one — would definitely go to her education,” Shelton-Merthie said.
She said Dakara spends several hours perfecting her craft.
“Sometimes, she brings me to tears out there because I know she’s doing it because it’s her passion,” Shelton-Merthie said. “I’m all for the NIL deal because I see the sacrifices these young ladies are making young men are making.”
“… I think it would be the icing on the cake to show that they appreciate us. To show that everything we’ve done is finally coming back to us,” she said.
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From Boston to now Miami, the Tartan Army has been marching through the streets of South Florida preparing for the Scotland v. Brazil World Cup game at 6 p.m. Known for their crowd-drawing shenanigans, the term “Tartan Army” has been trending on people’s For You Page, but who are they exactly?
The term “Tartan Army” is a nickname for Scotland’s fan base who support the country’s national team. The concept of “Tartan” comes from the iconic fabric design on kilts and is recognized as a symbol of Scottish identity.
The army gained attention for their rowdy team spirit, but also because some bars in Boston ran out of beer as the city hosted Scotland’s first two games. Now they have arrived in Miami and have been making their presence known.
On Monday, around 8,000 army followers marched from a bar called Ball and Chain to the Marlins’ game, making their presence known throughout South Florida.
Then on Tuesday, the Scotland fans invaded Miami Beach as the beer company Miller Lite presented the fans with a tartan beer barge that read “Restock the Scots.”
With the game against Brazil set for later tonight, the Tartan Army will now flood Miami Stadium with beer, bagpipes and kilts.
The number of fatalities because of Brightline train collisions since 2017 unofficially stands at about 214, including 17 in 2026. The company says that is down 30% compared to 2025.
Nearly halfway through 2026, high-speed Brightline trains in Florida have now been involved in over 200 deaths since 2017, even as the company stresses its ongoing safety improvements.
The number of fatalities because of Brightline train collisions since 2017 unofficially stands at about 214, including 17 in 2026 according to media reports, law firms and third-party observers. The company says incidents, which include any contact a train has with another object, have dropped 30% compared with the same time last year.
The company also said it is in the midst of implementing a series of safety improvements using a $45 million federal grant, plus $10 million from Brightline itself. These include fencing, warning and suicide prevention signs and other installations at 327 crossings from Miami to Cocoa.
“These enhancements to the corridor, combined with our education and enforcement efforts, reflect our commitment to continually prioritizing safety and preventing avoidable incidents,” said Brightline Florida CEO Patrick Goddard in a news release.
It’s been well-established that privately owned Brightline, which runs from Miami to Orlando, has the highest death rate per mile traveled of any railroad in the U.S. As of 2025, that figure was 25 deaths per million miles, or about one person every 13 days.
In comparison, that per-mile number is three times higher than Tri-Rail (8.12 deaths per millions miles) and SunRail (8.04) and nearly six times higher than Amtrak (4.20), according to the Florida-based Meldon Law firm.
Where do most Brightline accidents happen in Florida?
In densely populated South Florida, the trains run at speeds of 79 mph or above, with a top speed of about 125 mph in open areas. The vast majority of fatalities occur in the stretch between Miami and West Palm Beach.
Some are suicides. Some are people in vehicles or on bicycles trying to beat the trains or stuck at a crossing. Others are people simply walking on the tracks, apparently unaware a speeding train approaches.
In two recent incidents, a 68-year-old bicyclist was killed May 26 after he was struck by a Brightline train in Stuart. On May 24, two people died when their car was hit by a train in West Palm Beach even though the crossing gate arms were down.
In urban Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties the trains run at grade level, meaning no elevation above the ground. There are also numerous “quiet zones” along the route where the trains do not sound their horns to avoid disturbing residents and businesses.
Where are the least amount of fatal Brightline train accidents in Florida?
The route from Cocoa to Orlando goes through a more rural area, with fewer crossings and 6-foot fencing along the tracks. In 27 months since that section opened, no fatal accidents have been recorded, according to an Orlando Sentinel analysis.
In the long term, Brightline hopes to connect Orlando with the Tampa Bay area. The timing for that proposed extension is uncertain.
What is Brightline’s financial situation?
As deaths continue to mount, so does debt.
The rail line lost more than $233 million in 2025 despite higher revenues than 2024, according to its annual financial statement, prepared by consulting firm Ernst & Young and released April 30.
“Substantial doubt exists about the company’s ability to continue as a going concern,” the firm wrote. Brightline acknowledged it lacks the money to pay off more than $5 billion in debt and interest on schedule.
At the same time, Brightline passengers’ average fares fell during first three months of this year compared to the first quarter of 2025, another company report shows, and its trains carried a quarterly record of more than 900,000 passengers.
Credit-rating agencies have said the company needs either much higher fares or ridership to stay solvent.
The Miami-to-Orlando train company made $214 million in 2025, an increase from about $188 million in 2024, the audit shows.
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer Chris Persaud contributed to this report.
Curt Anderson is the Policy and Politics Reporter for The USA TODAY NETWORK-FLORIDA. You can get all of Florida’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday day by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY at https://tallahassee.com/newsletters.
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